EAELY HISTORY OF THE NAUTICAL ALMANAC. 11 



the error lay. When finally satisfied as to the accuracy of the 

 calculations, they were forwarded by him to Dr. Maskelyne in a 

 fit and proper state for the press. It seems almost incredible, in 

 this present age of rapid communication, that our recollections 

 can be carried back to a time when heavy forms of calculations 

 had to be transmitted, in some cases, several hundred miles for 

 verification, and that this system should have continued during 

 so long a period, especially in the epoch of slow travelling and 

 expensive postage. Probably Mr. Hitchins endeavoured to 

 avoid this inconvenience as much as possible ; hence the reason 

 why so many Cornishmen were employed on the first series of 

 the work, for doubtless his influence was sufiicient to induce Dr. 

 Maskelyne to permit him to engage several computers from his 

 own neighbourhood. Sometime about the year 1804 my father 

 was introduced to Mr. Hitchins by that eminent scientific 

 Cornishman, Davies Q-ilbert, F.E.S.,* who had opportunities at 

 St. Erth of noticing his mathematical acquirements. This 

 introduction led to his appointment by Dr. Maskelyne as one of 

 the computers of the "Nautical Almanac"; and on taking up his 

 residence at St. Hilary, he became the confidential companion 

 and assistant of Mr. Hitchins. On the death of that gentleman 

 in 1809, the computations were thrown into considerable con- 

 fusion, as it was not easy to find a properly qualified person 

 immediately to undertake the important office of comparer. In 

 consequence of this, many additional duties devolved, for a time, 

 on my father, at the request of Dr. Maskelyne, with whom, and 

 afterwards with Mr. Pond, P.E.S., Astronomer Eoyal, and Dr. 

 Thomas Young, F.P.S., who in 1818 succeeded to the superin- 

 tendence of the Almanac, he continued to carry on a direct official 

 correspondence. My father, who was generally responsible for 

 the preparation of five months of the Almanac, from May to 

 September, resided several years at St. Hilary, but in the year 

 1813 or 1814 he removed to Truro. 



Prom my early recollections of my father during the later 

 years of his residence in Cornwall, I can, even at this distant 



* Mr. Davies Gilbert succeeded Sir Humphry Davy as President of the 

 Eoyal Society, on Nov. 6th, 1827. He was in 1820 one of the original Fellows of 

 the Royal Astronomical Society, and filled the office of Vice-President, at inter- 

 vals, from its foundation till his death on Dec. 24th, 1839. He was also M.P. for 

 Helston, 1804-6, and for Bodmin, from 1806 to 1832 



